Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, intractable, w/o status epilepticus

This code identifies a severe form of childhood epilepsy characterized by multiple seizure types, intellectual disability, and a specific EEG pattern of slow spike-and-wave complexes. "Intractable" signifies that the seizures are resistant to conventional antiepileptic drug therapy. The absence of status epilepticus indicates that the patient is not experiencing prolonged or rapidly recurring seizures without recovery between episodes at the time of diagnosis.

Use this code when documentation clearly states a diagnosis of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, specifies that the condition is intractable or refractory to treatment, and explicitly notes the absence of status epilepticus. This code is appropriate for ongoing management of patients with this chronic, severe epileptic encephalopathy. Supporting documentation would include neurologist notes, EEG reports, and medication lists indicating treatment resistance.

• Ensure documentation explicitly states "intractable" or "refractory" and "without status epilepticus." If status epilepticus is present, a different subcategory code would be appropriate.
• Always sequence this code as a primary diagnosis when it is the reason for the encounter, or as a secondary diagnosis when managing comorbidities.
• Do not confuse this with other generalized epilepsy syndromes; look for the characteristic triad of multiple seizure types, intellectual disability, and specific EEG findings.